Note: “LC” means “Learning Community.”
Jennifer Barr
2025-2026 Mentor: Middle School World Literature (LC 4, 5), English: Language Arts Companion (LC 4, 5), American and British Literature (self-paced), English: Focus on Language Arts (self-paced)
Jennifer Barr graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with her Bachelor’s in University Studies with an emphasis in Business Management and has an Associates in Environmental Economics. She has a broad knowledge of marketing, accounting, education, human resources, and project management, which she has used throughout her career as a small business owner, substitute teacher and most recently as Director of her local library. Additionally, she is an active volunteer in her community, serving on local government committees, and in organizations such as the local food pantry, American Legion, Boy Scouts of America, as a wildlife rehabilitator and more. Jennifer has also volunteered for 20 years as a reading tutor, substituted at her local schools, and helped as a homeschool teacher for her extended family. She has always loved reading, learning, and the written word and has helped to foster a love of these things in others, as well.
Jennifer resides in Middleton, Idaho and is happily surrounded by her family and pets. She has four children and two grandchildren (with one more on the way). When not working, Jennifer can be seen curling up with a good book, spending time with her family in the great outdoors, gardening, and actively volunteering in her church and community. She is excited to join the students of Ensign Peak Academy on their learning journey.
April Brede
2025-2026 Mentor: Middle School Art Appreciation (live and self-paced)
April Brede earned her B.A. degree in English from the University of Utah in 2001. After graduation, April taught high school English in private institutions for nearly a decade. Most recently she has taught English as a second language for an online platform (VIPKID) for the past eight years. Despite an obvious background in English, April is also passionate about art.
April made it a point to curate a fabulous art education through continuing education courses, in person courses and online courses along with years of hard work and practice. For the past two years, April has been instructing in-person classes at Art Nook. Her students range from five year olds through adults. April feels that art is a skill that can be learned and believes that anyone can create art with the right instruction. She believes that because we were created, we have a divine need to create! April wants to inspire young artists to create art that gives hope, celebrates God’s beautiful creations, and bears witness of individual worth.
April and her husband currently live in Aiken, South Carolina where they enjoy the outdoors with their Shelties and horses. They have two return missionary sons and a daughter-in-law, all whom currently live in Provo and attend BYU.
Enjoy this Interview with April Brede to learn more.
Von Hansen
2025-2026 Mentor: World History (LC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and self-paced), US History (self-paced)
Hearing Elder Neal A. Maxwell speak during the bicentennial celebrations of the Constitution in 1987 kindled a fire in Von’s heart for learning and sharing about the hand of God in history. That led to a bachelor’s degree in History from Brigham Young University in 1999, where some of Von’s favorite classes included History and Philosophy of Science, Constitutional History, and Religion and Thought in East Asia (although his all-time favorite was probably a Shakespeare class!). In 2007, Von was inspired to quit his job as he dove into the master’s program in Political Economy at George Wythe University, where he relished the most intense year-long learning experience of his life.
Von finally crossed the “T”s and dotted the “I”s on that experience and and graduated in 2016 — a long journey from hearing Elder Maxwell speak, but well worth the trip. In 2007, Von also began designing and teaching a series of four courses on Providential History. Since then, he has held classes for homeschool students ages 11-17 and adults all across the Wasatch Front from Huntsville to Santaquin. His favorite comment from that experience came from a new student who said that a friend had told her about “this wicked-awesome history class” that she just had to come and try out. She ended up staying for three semesters.
Von has been a serious student of constitutional forms for more than twenty years — not just THE Constitution, but all societal forms (as in, “What form does our government, economy, education, media, family, religion, etc. take?”). He worked for four years as a team lead at US Synthetic, a world-renowned leader in “lean manufacturing,” where he gained an in-depth understanding of that important and growing business form. Von also has recently written an essay on the nuclear family form and its amazingly important influence on the other societal forms over the last 500 years.
Von is married to the talented and beautiful Amy Hansen (nee Hawkins), and together they have seven children and five grandchildren, for whom they both beam with pride and joy. One of Von’s most cherished activities is to discuss the topics of the day, movies, books, etc. with his family and to learn from his children and sons-in-law as they become men and women of sound understanding themselves. Von served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Republic of Korea, and he thinks that Korean food must be what the Greek myths talk about when they describe ambrosia, the food of the gods.
Carolyn Marriott
2025-2026 Mentor: Intro to Spanish
Carolyn Marriott has a passion for learning and teaching. Besides homeschooling her own seven children, she has decades of experience teaching youth in church and academic settings. Valuing community, she and her children participated in homeschool groups in Washington and Utah where she taught a variety of topics from Spanish, to U.S. History, to Economics. She currently thrives on learning with the students at Ensign Peak Academy.
Carolyn has traveled in Chile, Central America, Europe, Canada, Argentina, and the United States, broadening her appreciation for the beautiful world and its people. She served a mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and received a BA in Spanish from Brigham Young University.
Currently, Carolyn lives with her husband and mother in Wallsburg, Utah. She loves gardening, reading and discussing classics, sewing aprons, going on long walks, and hosting “poetry teatime” for her grandchildren.
Enjoy this Interview with Carolyn Marriott to learn more.
Jeff Jensen
2025-2026 Mentor: World Geography (LC 3)
Mr. Jensen’s enthusiasm for the Gospel and teaching will knock your socks off! He has been described as “ultra cheery in an almost unhuman way” by many of his former students. Mr. J sees the light of Christ in all and tries his best to teach to that divine potential and to help all feel the spirit which draws out that spark of amazing awesomeness we all possess. He is a beloved mentor for youth and has taught history, geography, and government and economics courses for ten years. He has been with Ensign Peak Academy since it was first established. He was recognized by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library as a noteworthy Reagan historian and invited to address them in September 2018.
He has published articles in peer reviewed history and academic journals on the RMS Titanic and served as an assistant editor and historical consultant on three BYU publications in the “Saints at War” program. He graduated from BYU with a BA in History and a BS in Child & Human Development. He hopes to one day launch his dream project, “Highways of Heroes,” honoring our nation’s veterans. He enjoyed serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Korea and has spent time as a service volunteer at two orphanages in Thailand.
For 20 years, he has been active in the Sunday School organization, serving as a teacher multiple times and as Sunday School president on both the Ward and Stake level on multiple occasions. As a High Councilor in 3 Stakes, he has overseen programs with special needs members, YSA & single members, addiction recovery programs, and is currently working with the Young Women in his stake. Harmonizing his faith with his teaching talents is one of his greatest joys, and one he feels blessed to share with your children. He is also working to help youth in financial need receive scholarships for educational travel to the Holy Land and other spiritually significant sites with the Gather-NOW program.
Jeff’s greatest passion is for his faith and family. He loves his three enthusiastic and passionate boys who always keep him entertained and on his toes. Hiking by day and stargazing by night, being outdoors surrounded by nature is Jeff’s happy place. He also loves relaxing to movie scores, occasionally escaping to Middle-earth, chatting with complete strangers, and finding beauty and meaning in cultures across the world.
Benjamin Muhlestein
2025-2026 Mentor: Principles of Liberty (LC 4, 5)
Benjamin S. Muhlestein resides in Overton, Nevada and is a husband and father of a beautiful wife and six wonderful children. He served a Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission. He received his Bachelor’s of Paralegal Studies from Utah Valley University in 2002, and earned his Master’s Degree in Classical Liberal Arts from George Wythe University in 2016. He has mentored youth and adults nationally and internationally for many years. He taught Seminary for an entire school year as a student teacher. He is the Founder of Illuminating the Light Within, Restoringthefounders.com, The Quintilian School of Oratory, and The George Washington Character Curricula. Benjamin has a deep passion for learning and teaching principles of liberty and freedom, and has great faith in the rising generation of youth to rise to the full potential of who God needs them to become.
Lisa Oilar
2025-2026 Mentor: Cells and Classification of Living Things (LC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and self-paced), Genetics and Heredity (LC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and self-paced), Chemistry and Ecology (self-paced), Genetics and Heredity (self-paced)
I grew up in Northern California, played a lot of high sports and played basketball in college. I earned a teaching credential from Chico State and a Masters Degree in Education from Simpson University. In the last 20 years I have taught students of all levels K-12 in the classroom and as a homeschool teacher. I have also worked with Gifted Students at the Middle School and High School levels. My biggest and best job has been the mother of 7 children (6 boys). Most are out in the world doing amazing things! My last two children are homeschooling and we greatly enjoy our time together! I love learning all kinds of things and especially love the Savior, the Temple, and living the Restored Gospel. I joined the church when I was 16 and love how it has changed my life! I enjoy the beach, road trips, reading, watch movies, play games, knitting, sewing, gardening, skiing, swimming, seeing new places, riding motorcycles, and exploring. We love our home by Yellowstone in Cody, WY. We have 25 chickens, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a pig and I share a milk cow.
Kim Reeder
2025-2026 Mentor: Middle School World Literature (LC 2), English: Language Arts Companion (LC 2)
Kim Reeder loves learning and helping others get an education to match their mission. She has been happily married to Randy Reeder since 1999. They live near Boise, Idaho where they have raised their five amazing children who are becoming awesome young adults.
Kim graduated from Idaho State University in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene. She worked as a dental hygienist while Randy finished up his masters degree and realized that her true passion lies in teaching, not teeth. She retired from dental hygiene the summer of 2002, when Randy graduated and their 2nd child was born, thus beginning her real education.
Homeschooling her own kids has led to many wonderful adventures and opportunities she couldn’t have anticipated – things like milking dairy goats, worm farming, and coaching FLL robotics teams to name a few. As the kids got older and wanted to take classes with other kids, Kim began teaching a variety of classes through various hybrid schools. She has taught book clubs, science, PE, and leadership classes.
In 2017, she began teaching leadership classes online to 10 – 14 year olds and has enjoyed learning with kids all over the world since. Having the online teaching experience was a huge blessing when the pandemic hit and Relief Society lessons were moved online. As the 1st councilor in the Relief Society of her ward, Kim was able to seamlessly adapt to teaching the sisters in her ward through Zoom during that time. Kim has recently been teaching leadership principles online to adults as a fleet trainer for WIRA. She is super excited to be bringing her online teaching experience to Ensign Peak Academy to learn with the 3rd and 4th graders this year.
When she is not teaching online classes, Kim enjoys serving as an ordinance worker in the Boise Temple, gardening, running trails, and reading great books. She loves the Come Follow Me program and currently serves as the 14-16 year old Sunday School teacher at church.
Enjoy this Interview with Kim Reeder to learn more.
Denning Burton
2025-2026 Mentor: Middle School Music Appreciation (live and self-paced), English: Language Arts Companion (LC 1), Middle School World Literature (LC 1)
Denning Burton is a passionate musician and lifelong learner with a Bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies. He studied songwriting and studio guitar recording in Nashville, TN, under the tutelage of Mike Payne. Denning is the creator of “Sherlock the Musical,” an original musical based on the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. This production has been performed by numerous theaters in the United States and Canada and has amassed over 3 million streams on its cast album on Spotify and Apple Music. He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Composing for Film, TV, & Video Games from Thinkspace Education and the University of Bournemouth, U.K. Denning resides in Alberta, Canada, with his wife and their new baby.
Rachel Terry
2025-2026 Mentor: Middle School World Literature (LC 3), English: Language Arts Companion (LC 3)
Rachel Terry loves learning and participating in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Brigham Young University and is working on a master’s degree in Instructional Psychology & Technology. She has taught writing at BYU, worked in publishing, and written several books, including The Classical Revolt and Six Floors from Somewhere. Rachel currently serves in the young women organization in her ward. She loves hiking, camping, and spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.
Laura Waite
K-12 Language Arts Specialist
Laura Waite is an enthusiastic educator who loves to teach and learn every day. She grew up in California, earned an Associate Degree from Ricks College (Brigham Young University-Idaho), married a very handsome and talented man, and raised six children – all girls except five! After 20 years, she returned to college through Grand Canyon University’s online program and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education. She holds endorsements in business and marketing as well as gifted and talented education. She has a deep appreciation for literature and is passionate about helping others to express their thoughts and feelings through writing.
When she’s not at school, Laura loves walking on the beach, hiking to waterfalls, and paddling her kayak. She also enjoys quilting, traveling, reading, watching movies, and playing games with her family- especially the grandchildren. One of her more ambitious goals is to visit all of the temples in the United States. She currently lives in Richfield, Utah, where she looks forward to many new adventures.
Marie Withers
2025-2026 Mentor: World Geography (LC 1, 2, 4, 5 and self-paced)
Marie Withers has been a teaching artist most of her adult life—sometimes teaching, sometimes making art, sometimes doing both. She holds an MA Degree in Art Education from Brigham Young University. As a life-long learner, she has participated in structured academic study as well as workshops and online classes. In recent years, she has been able to travel to Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Thailand, Israel and Egypt, and considers those experiences as an important part of her education. While in some of these countries, she was able to visit art museums and locations such as The Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Borghesi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery, and several others. She also attended an international conference in Reggio Emilia, Italy on the educational approach named after that city.
Marie worked for 20 years as a graphic designer at Brigham Young University, collaborating with student designers and cohorts in campus projects. She has been involved with Ensign Peak Academy as a developer and mentor since 2019. Most recently she completed a year of teaching and serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art in the Art and Design Department of Southern Virginia University, in which she loved working with the students and fellow faculty members in an enriching environment.
She believes in the power of co-mingling concepts learned in her own art practice with the art of teaching. These activities inform each other and bring a richer experience in helping students to learn from each other as well as with guidance from a mentor.
Currently Marie lives in Eastern Idaho. Her love of the outdoors informs her artwork as well, and she can be found taking photos and painting in nature, referring to it as “field research.” Through these experiences, she is reminded of the scriptural text that says, “…all things denote there is a God;…(Alma 30:44). She loves hiking and traveling. She also enjoys being an aunt, sister, daughter, and friend.